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Parliament wants islands to improve LGBT rights

THE HAGUE--The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday adopted a motion which called on the Dutch Government to urge the Governments of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten to legalise same sex marriages and to improve the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs).

The Parliament approved the motion of the liberal democratic VVD party, the Labour Party PvdA and the Democratic Party D66 Read more

‘Voice of our people’ theme of Emancipation Day 2015

PHILIPSBURG--Under the theme "Emancipation from Within-The Voice of Our People" St. Maarten will be observing Emancipation Day 2015 on Wednesday, July 1, culminating in a celebration and cultural manifestation at Emilio Wilson Park in the afternoon.

The Emancipation Day programme, organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, in conjunction with Voices Foundation, was presented Tuesday afternoon during a press conference at Claude Wathey Legislative Hall.

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Rita Bourne-Gumbs called upon all St Read more

Emancipation Day 2015 Schedule

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - All is set for the celebration of Emancipation Day, which will be held this year under the theme, "Emancipation from within, the Voice of Our People."

While the day will be observed for the152nd year, this year, for the 4th consecutive time, the inhabitants of St. Maarten will have the opportunity to officially celebrate the occasion.

Emancipation Day will officially be observed on Wednesday July 1st, however, prior to the celebrations and as is customary in observation of the day, on Tuesday, June 30th, the Diamond Hill Estate Slave Run Reenactment will be held Read more

Supreme Court justices refuse to restore North Carolina abortion ultrasound law

WASHINGTON--The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid by the state of North Carolina to revive its law requiring women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound of the fetus performed and described to them by a doctor.

The high court let stand a December appeals court ruling that struck down the 2011 law as unconstitutional because it forced doctors to voice the state's message discouraging abortion. The action does not impact similar measures in other states.

North Carolina lawmakers had argued that requiring narrated ultrasounds would provide crucial information to women making an irrevocable decision, even if they chose to avert their eyes and not listen to the explanation of the displayed fetus images Read more

Up Party President To Discontinue Information Being Sent To "Slander Sites"

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The board of the United People's (UP) Party does not support blatant misuse of the noble profession journalism by those who use journalism as a hobby to slander others rather than a profession to factually inform, educate and enlighten.

Journalism requires research, impartiality and care in its execution so that credibility is not questioned.

Operating on the fringe of fantasy, fabricating "news" and using the power of words in a deliberate, destructive manner, does not constitute good journalism and goes against the principle for fair reporting and presenting both sides of the story.

Slander sites do not reveal their sources therefore what is published cannot be considered credible.

Slander sites are being pushed by political forces with an agenda and do not care how it achieves its intended objectives, whether it's causing harm to the image of the country, whatever way possible this is the way they operate.

Many good, solid people of this community continue to have their name or institutions they are part of, slandered simply out of bias and obvious agendas.

These blogs do not enlighten and educate the population of the country, but only focuses on the UP Party Read more

Former model wrestles personal demons to the mat in yoga book

NEW YORK--A former model uses tales of sex, drugs and rock and roll in a book hitting stores on Monday to introduce the healing power of yoga sequences and demonstrate how the ancient practice of breath and meditation can fortify the mind as well as the body.
  In "Yoga for Life: A Journey to Peace and Freedom," Colleen Saidman Yee, a former fashion model turned yoga teacher, recounts how yoga helped her battle a heroin habit, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after she was injured in a car accident when she was 15 years old Read more

Four suspects to go on trial for Atlantis robbery

PHILIPSBURG--Four suspects are to go on trial June 24 for involvement in an attempted armed robbery at Atlantis Casino on November 16, 2014.

Three of these suspects, K.D. (19), C.M.B. (21) and C.A.H. (21), were already called before a Judge on March 25, only to hear the prosecutor and one of their lawyers requesting a delay in the hearing of their cases. A fourth suspect was led before a Judge at the Court of First Instance on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Gonda van der Wulp said in March that a fourth suspect, B.A.E.W (22), was arrested in this case Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday June 7th the yearly International Triathlon race organized by the “Friendly Island Cycling Association” will be held. In connection with this race a meeting was held at the Philipsburg Police Station between this association represented by Mr. Juan Pablo Piscione and representatives of the KPSM. The main topic of this meeting was to discuss the route of the race, the alternative routes that can be used when the race is taking place and the safety and security of the participants.
The race will commence at 07.00 a.m Read more

Obama signs bill reforming US surveillance programme

WASHINGTON--President Barack Obama signed into law on Tuesday legislation passed by Congress earlier in the day reforming a government surveillance program that swept up millions of Americans' telephone records.
  Reversing security policy in place since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the bill ends a system exposed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. The spy agency collected and searched records of phone calls looking for terrorism leads but was not allowed to listen to their content.
  Passage of the USA Freedom Act, the result of an alliance between Senate Democrats and some of the chamber's most conservative Republicans, was a victory for Obama, a Democrat, and a setback for Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
  After the Senate voted 67-32 on Tuesday to give final congressional approval to the bill, Obama used his Twitter account, @POTUS, to say he was glad it had passed Read more

Abolition of slavery celebrated with speeches, song and dance

MARIGOT--The 167th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery was commemorated Wednesday at the Agrément roundabout with Lady Liberty looking on approvingly as the scourge of slavery was re-enacted in dance, music and the spoken word by various performers.

Despite an overcast sky threatening rain, only a little came down from time to time but umbrellas were ready.

The audience comprising the entire Territorial Council, Préfet Philippe Chopin, MP Daniel Gibbs, former Mayor Albert Fleming, Economic and Cultural Council President Georges Gumbs, and representatives from the district councils were all seated under a tent to watch the activities.

The ceremony was opened by Malaïka Maxwell singing the song "when you believe" by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston before Percussionist Hélier Coquillas called out the freedom fighters with a conch shell and remained to provide the drumming for the different segments.

President of the Territorial Council Aline Hanson said in her address the commemoration is an opportunity to remember the big sacrifices made by the ancestors for freedom.

"Today we celebrate this freedom and all the people who fought body and soul to liberate our islands and get this precious freedom Read more

Coalition loses majority in Senate by two seats

THE HAGUE--As expected, the Dutch coalition cabinet has lost its majority in the Dutch Parliament's First Chamber, forcing it to look outside the three friendly opposition parties for support.

The 570 members of the 12 provincial councils in the Netherlands cast their votes for the First Chamber on Tuesday, meaning the make-up of the First Chamber reflects the results of March's provincial vote.

After the vote, the ruling conservative VVD remains the biggest party in the 75-member Senate with 13 seats, a loss of three compared with four years ago.

Centre-democrat D66 is second with 10 seats after this party doubled its 2011 total.

The anti-immigration Party for Freedom PVV and the Socialist Party (SP) now both have nine seats, while junior coalition partner Labour PvdA has eight seats after its loss of six.

The minor religious parties ChristenUnie and SGP, which together with D66 prop up the coalition in the First Chamber, respectively won three and two seats Read more

Fate of domestic surveillance program uncertain after vote

WASHINGTON--The U.S. Senate blocked a measure to extend spy agencies' bulk collection of Americans' telephone records early on Saturday, leaving the fate of the program uncertain days before its June 1 expiration.
  By a vote of 54-45, the Senate failed to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to advance a bill that would have extended for two months provisions of the "USA Patriot Act" that allow the collection of vast amounts of telephone "metadata."
  The data collection program, in which the National Security Agency sweeps up vast amounts of Americans' telephone records and business information, was exposed two years ago by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who is now a fugitive in Russia.
  The vote against the extension came after the Senate narrowly blocked the "USA Freedom Act," a bill that would end the bulk telephone data collection and replace it with a more targeted program Read more

Tzu Chi Spreads Love At Triple Celebration Donates Relief Items To 100 Families

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation helped spread cheer on Sunday, May 10, when it held its annual triple celebration of Mother's Day, Tzu Chi Day and Buddha's Birthday.

During the ceremony, held at Tzu Chi's location on L.B. Scott Road, Tzu Chi helped persons in need by donating relief items to a total of 100 families. The 49 volunteers who participated in the exercise put their best foot forward to keep the 161 guests in attendance engaged during the event.

The triple celebration was preceded by a tour of the various sections at Tzu Chi Foundation Read more

Egyptian court seeks death penalty for ex-president

CAIRO--An Egyptian court on Saturday sought the death penalty for former president Mohamed Mursi and 106 supporters of his Muslim Brotherhood in connection with a mass jail break in 2011.
  Mursi and his fellow defendants, including top Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie, were convicted for killing and kidnapping policemen, attacking police facilities and breaking out of jail during the uprising, against then-president Hosni Mubarak. The court's request drew condemnations from Amnesty International and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
  A final ruling is expected on June 2 Read more

Gunman in Mohammad cartoon attack was monitored for years

GARLAND, Texas/PHOENIX--Federal agents for years monitored one of the two gunmen who were shot dead after opening fire with assault rifles at a heavily guarded Texas exhibit of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad.

Two government sources who asked not to be named said the shooters were roommates Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, of Phoenix. Court documents show that Simpson had been under surveillance since 2006 and convicted in 2011 of lying to FBI agents over his desire to join violent jihad in Somalia.

FBI agents and police searched the two men's home at the Autumn Ridge Apartments in north-central Phoenix, cordoning off the complex and evacuating residents for several hours in the early morning.

The shooting incident in the Dallas suburb of Garland was an echo of past attacks or threats in other Western countries against images depicting the Prophet Mohammad Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Sunday 3rd of May marks World Press Freedom Day. Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs would like to congratulate the nation's journalist as well as those from the North side of the island (St. Martin) on this internationally renowned day.

The theme this year is "Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age."

"The right to freedom of expression allows journalist to inform about what us going on in order for civil society to be informed of developments taking place here and abroad Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Congratulates Sint Maarten/St. Martin Journalists On World Press Freedom Day

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Sunday 3rd of May marks World Press Freedom Day. Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs would like to congratulate the nation's journalist as well as those from the North side of the island (St. Martin) on this internationally renowned day.

The theme this year is "Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age."

"The right to freedom of expression allows journalist to inform about what us going on in order for civil society to be informed of developments taking place here and abroad Read more

Police announce road closures Carnival Grand, Junior Parade

PHILIPSBURG--In connection with the upcoming Junior and Grand Parade scheduled for Thursday, April 30, St. Maarten Police Force, via a press release, has announced a number of road closures.

The gathering point for the Grand Parade is at the entrance of St. Johns Estate on L.B. Scot Road. The gathering time is at 10:00am. Front Street including all streets and alleys leading to it will be closed from 7:00am.

At 9:00am, L.B. Scot road will be closed at Gladiola road. No traffic will be allowed towards the St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- In connection with the upcoming Junior and Grand Parade scheduled for Thursday April 30th, the Police Department is making the following announcement:
The gathering point for the Grand Parade is at the entrance of Sint Johns Estate on the L.B. Scot road. The gathering time is at 10.00 a.m.
Front Street including all streets and alleys leading to this street will be closed on that day from 07.00 a.m.
At 09.00 a.m. L.B. Scot road will be closed at Gladiola road. No traffic allowed towards Sint Peters area Read more

The Evolving View of Cannabis

~ Many opinions expressed at St. Maarten’s first open forum ~

By Lisa Davis-Burnett

Marijuana is seen as a gateway drug, partly because it is illegal, meaning that in order to get it, one must go into situations, where other illegal activities are taking place and associate with dealers of various illegal substances. “If it was structurally controlled and properly distributed, we would eliminate this discussion about it being a gateway to harder drugs.” This opinion was expressed by Dr Read more

The Evolving View of Cannabis

~ Many opinions expressed at St. Maarten’s first open forum ~

By Lisa Davis-Burnett

Marijuana is seen as a gateway drug, partly because it is illegal, meaning that in order to get it, one must go into situations, where other illegal activities are taking place and associate with dealers of various illegal substances. “If it was structurally controlled and properly distributed, we would eliminate this discussion about it being a gateway to harder drugs.” This opinion was expressed by Dr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday April 14th, the final meeting before the official opening of the Festival Village between the Sint Maarten Carnival Development Foundation, Department of VROMI, Department of Economic Affairs and the Police Department was held at the Philipsburg Police Station. The main topics of this meeting were the "Vending and No Vending" zones in the Philipsburg area, the road closure during all of the parades and the "Opening Jump-up."
Attached to this announcement is a digital color layout of Philipsburg and surrounding areas Read more

Guenter Grass, author of The Tin Drum, dies at 87

BERLIN--German novelist Guenter Grass, the Nobel Prize-winning author of "The Tin Drum", an epic treatment of the Nazi era, died on Monday at the age of 87, his publishers said.

A broad-shouldered man with a drooping moustache, Grass spurned the German tradition of keeping a cool intellectual distance, insisting that a writer's duty was to be at the frontline of moral and political debate. For many, he was the voice of a German generation that came of age in World War Two and bore the burden of their parents' guilt for the atrocities of the Nazis.

The independent German Cultural Council called him "more than a writer .. Read more

Public Notice For Sunday April 12 (Cycling Race)

In connection with the upcoming cycling race which is organized by Soualiga Riders and scheduled to take place on Sunday April 12th the police department is announcing the following:

The race will start at 01 p.m. on the Welfare road in the vicinity of Willy’s Restaurant and Mini Mart and head towards the Kruythoff round about and turning right on to A.J.C. Brouwers road, round about on the top of the hill, A.J.C. Brouwers road, Church hill round about, Bush road, Zagergut road, The Cottage round about, A Read more